Prioritize Choices in Two-Way Michigan Ave Redesign on October 10
Published on October 02, 2024
The City of Kalamazoo is inviting residents to a Town Hall meeting to shape the future of Michigan Avenue. This second event of the design process is set for Thursday, October 10. Two different times are available for the community to choose from: presentations will start at 5 and 6:30 p.m. The Town Hall will be held at Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC) in the Crawlspace Comedy Theater, located at 315 W Michigan Ave.
This meeting will build on input received from the community and stakeholders at the first open house in September and from other community engagement activities. The two-way street redesign of Michigan Avenue, stretching from Michikal Street/West Main Street to Harrison Street, provides opportunities to consider outdoor seating, parallel or angled parking, loading zones, landscape medians, and other improvements. Participants in the first events shared their priorities through interactive activities. On October 10, attendees will explore design options based on those preferences.
“We are excited to share several early design options for people to consider,” said Christina Anderson, City Planner and Deputy Director of Community Planning and Economic Development. “The width of the Michigan Avenue corridor changes as you travel from West to East, so the design will shift with the available space. We must choose what is most important to emphasize for each block along different portions of the street.”
Participants will be presented with several design elements that fit within the Michigan Avenue right-of-way. They will be asked to identify what they like and have concerns about in reviewing the different choices. A “build your own” opportunity will be provided, where attendees can create their own cross-section of Michigan Ave based on what they learn at the meeting and the project criteria.
“The final design is not pre-determined and the number of options is surprising,” noted Anderson. “As we work to redesign our city streets, we want to achieve tailored solutions that reflect the values of our community, support downtown businesses, and make Streets for All.”
In addition to the Town Hall, community members are encouraged to visit the Streets for All website (www.kalamazoocity.org/StreetsForAll) to take a brief survey.
Additionally, the City will also be hosting a “Walk & Roll” event on Friday, October 18, to conduct an audit of Michigan Avenue. This event offers community members the chance to walk the corridor, identify areas for improvement, and share insights in real time. The event will be held in two sessions: a morning session starting at 9 a.m. at Sarkozy Bakery (350 E Michigan Ave), and an afternoon session at 3:30 p.m. starting at Green Top Tavern (250 E Michigan Ave). People of all abilities are encouraged to participate.
The Michigan Avenue project, backed by a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, is part of a larger effort to rebuild significant portions of West Main Street, South Street, Lovell Street, Stadium Drive, and Douglas Avenue. This funding supplements the $12 million federal grant received two years ago for the reconstruction of Kalamazoo Avenue and Michigan Avenue.
